According to the European Commission, the Declaration should guide policy makers and companies in their dealings with new technologies and the digital transformation and recapitulate a set of rights and freedoms enshrined in the EU’s legal framework as values that all citizens in the EU should enjoy. The European Commission invites the European Parliament and the Member State governments acting in the Council to endorse this Declaration.

The proposed declaration spans to areas including access to internet connectivitiy, digital educaiton and skills, working conditions, digital public services, interactions with algorithms and artificial intelligence systems, and privacy and individual control over data as well as the proper protection of children online. Importantly, the ‘rights’ are not directly enforceable by individuals but rather serve as a compass that decision makers and managers should follow suit.

CESI Secretary General Klaus Heeger said: “A declaration to proclaim principles for a fair digital transformation is a welcome complement to the EU’s digitalisation agenda, which should above all be social. As CESI we have stressed that the principles for fair digital labour markets, employment and working conditions should not be missing. We welcome the planned commitment to ensure that everyone shall be able to disconnect and benefit from safeguards for work-life balance in a digital environment. However, it would have been good to clearly relate the right to protection of personal data online clearly to area of work and employment too. Surveillance at work is a clear no-go.”

He added: “We endorse in particular also the rights pertaining to accessible, seamless secure and interoperable digital public services, which are much-needed. Achieving this will require substantial investments in the hard and soft infrastructure and equipment of the public services and its staff. It is key to note however that public services will not work purely online. They should always also remain accessible to those who are no digital natives or prefer in-person services. Many public services also require human judgment and empathy towards the citizens to work. Not every service can work well purely online.”